Life beyond ‘brochureware’
16 November 2017

Engaging with financial advisers and intermediaries in the digital age.

In financial services, trust is all. It’s the bedrock on which deals are built and brands are matured. And, in turn, trust, relationships and communications are nothing without each other. Our recent Living Ratings analysis of digital effectiveness put 100 of the world’s leading asset managers in its sights, subjecting them to rigorous digital benchmarking. The results make it clear that there’s a whole world of opportunity for digital dialogue with Financial Advisers and Intermediaries (FAIs). So why limit your web communications to an online version of your print collateral?

Let’s kick off by asking what the best asset managers have in common online - and what makes them stand out from the crowd. For starters, it’s their ability to hook visitors in and keep them coming back for more. FAIs are one group of users it’s vital to super-serve. Which is why many of the leading asset managers in our latest survey offer dedicated web tools that increase FAI efficiency - and play a key role in building brand loyalty.

Understanding the ‘who’ and the ‘where’

If you know your FAIs, then talk to them like you know them. The latest best practice, not to mention a bit of common sense, make it imperative to recognise your online visitors’ locations and adapt to who they are. Even relatively simple geo-targeting and user profiling techniques can help you push timley and relevant content to your FAI network. At bit of personalisation goes a long way, enabling your FAIs to tailor content and choose their favourite topics without a sign up or login. Go a stage further by building a dedicated online ‘Adviser Centre’ and you’ll help personalise your content even more effectively, supporting FAIs’ day-to-day business and enhancing their professional development.

Making it all clear

There’s nothing worse than needing information in a hurry... and not being able to access it. Which is why the best fund and strategy pages are fully sortable and designed with precision typography. They bring together all the relevant docs, factsheets, videos, charts and interactive content to give a summary overview... or a more detailed drill-down. When it comes to creating a repository for all your fund detail, a dedicated document library or literature centre simplifies the process of accessing useful content, from factsheets and manager commentaries, to press releases and marketing literature.

And why should content be static and black-and-white? Get interactive. Simplify complex ideas with step-by-step animation. And use graphics, videos, webcasts and podcasts to engage and show that your brand and your people live in the real world.

Reaching out

Don’t keep your best people – and their insights – under wraps. Reach out to your audience with quality thought leadership, build your intellectual capital, promote your expertise and use your specialist research as the basis of exclusive insights. Then get it out there as long form videos or white papers on your website or as handy bite-sized snapshots across social media.

Blogs, too, can deliver a constant stream of new users to a website by reaching out with more informal thoughts, opinions and updates. The best, most relevant, well-written blogs can help FAIs to come up with new ideas and solve real world problems for their clients, helping build trust and reinforcing respect. A simple e-shot subscription service also enables you to send timely, relevant news and insights straight to FAIs’ desktops or mobiles wherever and whenever they want it.

Finally – make it useful. The leading websites in our study are full of learning materials for FAIs, including investment tutorials, jargon busters and ‘how-to’ guides. This kind of content does more than demonstrate your expertise: it positions you as a powerful and insightful partner. Which is exactly the role you need to play.

How we can help

Here at Living Group, we work with leading investment banks, hedge funds, financial intermediaries and pension providers to develop digital communications that engage with customers and inspire new conversations.

Working across channels, we drive business performance with strategic thinking, brand creation and cut-through messaging - creating effective communications that get tangible results.